According to the CBO, H.R.1018 would increase costs for the BLM for managing wild horses about $500 million bringing the total cost to $700 million. That’s right. In the midst of a recession and record deficits, the Democrats are adding $700 million for horses and burros.
There are estimated to be 33,000 wild horses and burros on lands that the BLM manages under the authority of the Wild Free Roaming Houses and Burros Act of 1971, amended in 2004, aimed an insuring healthy herds and range-lands with sufficinet year round forage to support them.
Herd sizes can double every four years. The BLM was going to manage this through adoptions. Adoptions fell from 5,701 in fiscal 2005 to 3,706 in fiscal 2008.
In addition, the economic downturn has promped people to turn their horses loose on these ranges. This offsets adoptions.
There is no real plan for euthanasia or sale without limitation–meaning slaughter. The last horse rendering plan in DeKalb, IL was closed a few years ago.
So, there you have it. The very people who will provide you less expensive health care, can’t manage a wild mustang project.
They can’t keep the population from doubling. They don’t have enough land to support the herd. They can’t live within their budget. They can’t find people to adopt them. People are dumping their pet horses faster than attrition and adoptions. They can’t euthanize. They can’t send them to a rendering plant to provide food for hungry people who have no issues with eating horses.
There is only one solution. More and more of your tax dollars to provide for a growing herd of mustangs. The only solution our government ever comes up with–you pay since they can’t manage the problem.
